Google has released the Developer Preview 3 (DP 3) of its next Android version 11. In the normal course, the company would have released the beta version of Android 11 at the developers’ conference WWDC. The conference is held in the month of May, but the coronavirus lockdown has meant cancellation of the WWDC this year. Apple has said it is going ahead with an online version of its annual developers’ meet. Google will still release its Android 11 beta in May this year.
The Android 11 DP 3 has some new features though the focus has been mostly on bringing in improvements and to fix the known bugs. Google keeps receiving feedback from the user community and there is always activity related to improving the OS.
One area where some changes seem to be in the offing is the gesture sensitivity on the display edges. The new OS may allow the users of the mobile devices to customise the right and left edges on their screens. This may eliminate some issues presently being reported on the edge sensitivity.
XDA Developers, which manages to delve into source codes and bring out hidden features in software has been at it again. According to them, the Android 11 OS has a feature where the app buttons appear to be larger than seen presently. Apart from this, the recently used apps may get a larger preview.
Other new features noticed include screenshot popups and Ethernet tethering for sharing connectivity with other devices. Android phones already enjoy Bluetooth and USB tethering facilities.
XDA Developers has also found another important security feature in the Android 11 DP 3. If the phone user has apps that he or she does not use for a long duration, then the permissions granted to the app will stand revoked automatically. This is to prevent the app from gathering any data in the background based on the permissions already given.
Google has all along faced this criticism that its apps are more vulnerable than the apps found on the Apple devices. Google has taken a number of measures in the last two years to rectify this situation.